Flexible card feed



' V h LNHAMPTON W MSALZER ATTORNEY May 19, 1953 N. HAMPTON ErAL FLEXIBLECARD FEED v Filed Nov. 4. 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 19,1953- N. HAMQ QNEI'AL FLEXIBLE CARD FEED 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 4. 1949 FIG. 7

May 19, 1953 L. N. HAMPTON ETAL 2, 1

FLEXI/BLE CARD FEED I Filed my. 4. 1949 e sheds-sheet sYIIIII/I/III/II/l/A I L /v. PTON 2 M. SALZER Q )mvzztcg ATTORNEYPatented May 19, 1953 FLEXIBLE CARD FEED Leon N. Hampton, Pleasantville,and Martin Salzer, Great Neck, N. Y., assignors to Bell TelephoneLaboratories,- Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication November 4, 1949, Serial No. 125,622

This invention relates to card perforating machines and has for itsobject to facilitate the handling of the cards in such machines.

In automatic telephone systems it has long been customary, in the casewhere a trouble arises, to set up an indication, on a bank of lamps, ofthe nature of the trouble and of the equipment involved in the trouble.Various suggestions have been made for the transfer of this indicationto a punched or printed record, but these suggested arrangements haveproved somewhat slow for satisfactory results.

Recently a card perforator has been designed for making. trouble recordsdirectly from the automatic telephone equipment but, due to the largeamount of information to be recorded and the desire to make the recordas quickly as possible, the card employed is exceptionally long and istherefore subject to distortion.

In accordance with the present invention, flexible card feeding means isprovided which is capable of handling warped cards, including a floatingthroat and a spring mounted card hook.

More specifically, the floating throat is so mounted adjacent the unusedcard receptacle that it may move freely in a vertical direction and isprovided with an arm resting on the top card in the receptacle, againstwhich it is pressed by a spring. The throat is so formed that only onecard can pass through it at a time. Two such throats are provided tofunction near each end of the cards. Means is provided for preventingcontact between the throat and all but a few cards near the top of thecard receptacle.

The card hook comprises a hook member having the form of a flattened;from which two prongs are bent out, facing one another and spaced toengage the edges of preformedconfigurations in the card including aperforation and a notch.' The edge of one prong engages the edge of thenotch and acts to advance the card through the perforator. The edge ofth other prong engagesthe edge of the perforation to back the card,should this be necessary, as a result of overshooting the intendedperforating position. This hook member is maintained in yieldingrelationship to a mounting carried by a chain drive by means of abifurcated spring member so that the hook member may move bothvertically and angularly with respect to the mounting and therebyconform with the conformation of the top card of the stack, thusensuring reliable engagement despite card distortion. The form of thecard configuration is such that no pressure may be exerted between thecard stack .and the 16 Claims. (01. 271-34) card hook except through thethe card hook.

These and other features of th invention will be more clearly understoodfrom a consideration of the following description read in connectionwith the drawings inwhich:

Fig; 1 shows in diagrammatic form the elements of the card perforator;

Fig. 2 shows a front view of the card perforator as assembled;

Fig. 3 shows'an end view, partly in cross-section; I I

Fig. 4 shows the card feeding mechanism;

Fig. 5 shows an enlarged side view of the card hook illustrating itsvertical flexibility;

Fig. 6 shows the card hook illustrating its longitudinal angularflexibility;

Fig. 7 is a top plan viewof the card hook;

Fig. 8 is a section on the'line 88 of Fig. 5, illustrating the lateralangular flexibility of the cardhook;

Fig. 9 is an exploded view of the elements of the card hook;

Fig. 10 is an exploded view of the. flexible throat and its mounting;

Fig. 11 shows a broken top view of the cards in the card receptacle inrelation to the floating throats;

Fig. 12 shows a cross-section on the line l2|2 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 shows the normal passage of a card card engaged by through thefloating throat to the die chamber;

and

Fig. 14 shows the. passage of a card through thethroat to the diechamber when the card stack is lowered.

A general description of the card perforating machine will first begiven, referring to Figs. 1, 12 and 3 in which corresponding elements inthe three figures bear the same reference numerals.

The cardperforator comprises two rows of perforating punches l and 2,there being sixty-two punches in each row, supported on the two sides ofa modified. I beam 3 and, passing through aligned holes in a guide plate4 and .in the base of the ,Ibeam. The punches areheld in their clearanceretracted position by, means of springs 5. When depressed, they passthrough aligned holes in the stripper plate 6 and thedie plate 1.

The punches are selected for-operation by means of a corresponding setof interposer elements 9, each controlled by an individual interposermagnet Illa .Theinterposer element in- .cludes an interposer bar. I Iand a latch l2, connectedto the armature of the controlling magnet by alink l3. Since the magnets ID are wider than the desirable space betweenthe punches, they are mounted with their centers staggered on four setsof mounting plates I4, I 5, l6 and IT, as best disclosed in Fig. 2, andthe links H! are of four lengths to accord with-"this arrangement. Apairof drive, ors'huttle bars l8 and [9 are continuously reciprocated whenthe motor 20 is operating, moving freely in recesses 2| in theinterposer bars I When an interposer magnet I is energized it lifts thecorresponding latch I2, by means of the link l3, latching the remainderbar to the associated drive bar so thatftheintrpdsei bar may be movedinto operative 'po s'itioniin'latch stop 22, shown in fragmentaryformin'Fi'g. l "and in section in Fig. 3, extends past ail of thelatches and is so located and shaped that the forward ends of thelatches normally lie in a groove "-in the latch stop, whereby anyaccidental movement of an interposer and the iaise operation of a punchis positively prevented. In addition. whenever a latch I2 is lifted by"the 'corresponding int'erp'ose'r magnet and the interposer eiement 9'starts'to'move forw'ardth'e Iatch'stop 22 'holdsth'e lifted andinwardly di's'plahd latch in' plac'e independent of the interposerfriagnet and 'insuresthe correct operation of the "ctsr'res'pendingpunch even wherethe operating'tl'rne of theint'er poser magnet islimited. The latch stop being"yieldably mounted also acts to protect"the' mechanism against mechanical damage in the event of faulty timingof interposer 'i'na'gnet operation.

The actual purichin'gppeiatidn is broughtabout by means ofeccentricshafts'ia an'd which are errec'u'v'a'when anjiiiteipbs'erbarhasbeen moved into its forward position, to drive'thecoiresponding'pu'nchthrough a. card located between the "stripper plate-s and die plate '1.his the eccentric shafts rotate out of punching position they act onretractors 25. which positively lift the depressed punches back "totheir aormai position. In Fig. l, the retract or associated with shaft'23 has been shown broken "to give -a'clea'r'e'rfview of theretractorassociated with shaft 24. v The drive bars 1'8 and "I9 areoperatedb'y a shuttle plate 26 which is in turn reciprocated by 'acam'21 mounted on the axle of the shaft 23, thereby makingone reciprocalcycle "for each revolution 0*: the rollers. The cam 21 is arranged touniformly accelerate and decelerate the shuttle bar's between theirinne'r'and outer positions 'and'to'all'ow ror'a dwell period in each ofthese positions.

The unused cards arestac'ked ih'the unused card bin 28 "and are fedthrough the'pei fora tor to the used card bin 29 by means of "two'c'h'ain -b'elts'30 and '3 thfe'caids'b'ing red one at a time betweenthe die and sitripper plaltes by means of the floating throats'32 and33. Mounted on each chain belt-are ra card hooks 34 as well amour setsor contact springs as, "the lattefbei'ng used left of Fig. 1. These'g'e'ai's are located above the motor in the space at the left of therecorder as "shown in Fig. 2. As indicated in Fig. 1. the

motor 20 is l belt-coup l'ed'to the fecce'ntfic' shafts z; and 2'4 andti) "shaft thwhich' carries the set "of apparatus control cams 5"! sothat 'the shafts 2'3 arra -'21 and cams?! arein continuous rotation wanethe 'mot or an is operating. It acts on'the 'c'alrd drive shaft '38 "and"6h sha'ft's 38 and 41];-

carrying sets of cams 4| and 42 through the medium of one or the otherof two clutches 43 and 44. Clutch 43 connects an intermittent drivemechanism in the nature of a Geneva movement to the card drive shaft 38,while cone clutch 44 provides a continuous drive for the card drive's'haftj 'The'se clutches are employed selectively by the movement of apivoted arm 45,'under the control of solenoids (not shown) which are inturn controlled by certain of the cams 3! and 42 to bringabout theoperation of the clutches at the proper angular positions of the driveshafts. As is well=known, theuse of the Geneva movement drive imparts'tbithe card a dwell for a punching "operation an'dara'pid advance tothe next punching-position. The shaft of the motor is arranged toreceiveahandle, shown at H21 in Fig. 1 by which the belts and gears may bemoved if it i's'nec'essa'ry to make adjustments.

Cam 45 and latch 4 serve to stop the card drive shaft 38 in the properposition at the end of one cycle-bf operations, spiral sprin 48cushioning the effect'of latch 41. Cams 3! make one revolution for eachrevolution of the shafts 23 and 24 and'serve to synchronize theoperation of the clutches 43 and '44 with the position of the rollersamid the punching apparatus. Cams 42 make'one revolution during'onecycle of operation of the iperforator, while cams 4| make threerevolutions pe'r'cycl'e. Cams '42 control the operating circuits of theperforator itself, while'cams 4| control the circuits by which theinterposer magnets are opera-ted. The circuits by'which'the operation of'the perforator is controlledare disclosed in Patent 2,508,052-to O.Williford, May 16, 1950.

When'the perforator is idle, a'card is in position for receiving thefirst punching operation. Seizure of the perforator starts the motor ifit is not running. Cams '3"! control the first punching operationandthe'operation'of the intermittent "clutch 43. 'Ei'ght'additionalpunching operations ar'e performed under the control of them-'term'itterit clutch '43 "and cams 4|. At the end of the ninth'pun'chingoperation, cams 42 cause the transfer from the intermittentclutch 43 to 'the co'ntinuou'sclutch '44, which feeds the-punched cardto'the us'ed'card bin and an unused card to the 'operativeposition, andcontrols the stop- "ping of the "card car'n drive in their normalpositions.

'As shown in Fig. 2, the used card bin 29 is provided with a hinged door50 by which the used cards may be removed. This door also has a glasswindowil so that the number of cards in the bin may be readily"observed. However. there maybe timeswh'en the attendant wishes toinspect thtt'o'uble recordsimmediatelyafter they are puhchedand forthispurpose a card selector 52 is provided; controlled by a handle 53 and acam follower 5'4. -'I'he'card selector is normally in its upper position'so that the cards are fed under-it to the'used card bin. When theattenda'ntwi'shs to inspect the cards he moves the handle 53 back, butthe cam follower 54 which engage'sa 'spclally formed'cam '55 rotatingwith ,the upward direction on the platform by means .58 so that thecontents may be observed through openings in the back of the used cardbin 29. For convenience in removing chaff from the bin, the window 58has an opening l !2 therein. A pivoted transparent cover H3 normallycloses this opening. This cover is formed with a flange H4 by which itmay be lifted to permit the insertion of a vacuum tool as indicated inFig. 3.

For details of the card hooks, reference will now be made to Figs. 4 to9. As shown in Fig. 4, the card hooks 34 and contact springs 35 arecarried on links of a continuous rollerless type chain which is drivenby two spur wheels 58 and 59. The card hook link comprises a pair ofside pieces 80 and BI having holes 62 and 63 which pass over the chainpins 64 and 65. A third hole 66 passes over the reduced end of the hooklink spacer 61 and is held in position thereon by a split ring 68 whichis forced into a groove B9 on the end of the spacer 6i. Fastened to thebottom of the spacer 6'! by a screw 10 is a bifurcated spring member H.Since the center of the spring member is fixed, the two ends may actindependently.

The card hook itself is a C-shaped strip of metal 12 having tworectangular prongs l3 and '14 struck out of the bottom surface and bentout so that they project from the surface facing toward one another adistance somewhat less than the thickness of one card. In forming theprongs, additional metal is removed to provide openings 15 and 16 todischarge any dust, dirt or lint which otherwise might accumulate. Theends of the hook have the corners cut away, forming projections Ti and18 and leaving shoulders such as 19 and 80.

Each link side piece such as 60 has two ears 8i and 82 formed adjacentthe lower edge. In assembling the card hook link, one side piece, forexample, side piece BI is mounted on the chain pins 64 and 65 and thespacer 61. The spring H is then attached, with the bifurcated end towardthe leading end of the mounting, and the hook element i2 is slipped overthe spring, until one edge of each projection T! and it nearly restsagainst side piece 6!, the ears on that side piece extending under theshoulders on that side of the hook element 12. The second side piece 50is then arranged on the chain pins and spacer, the spacer being of suchsize that side piece 80 nearly rests against the projections 1'1 and 78and the ears 8| and 82 extend under shoulders 19 and 80. With washer 68in place the card hook element i2 is held in place with the ends ofspring H engaging the inner surface of the element 12. The relativepositions of projections T! and 18, shoulders 19 and 80 and ears 8! and82 may be seen in Fig. '7.

As illustrated in Fig. 5, if the heightof the card stack in the unusedcard bin varies, the flex ibility of spring 1| permits the card hook tomove in a vertical direction to accommodate itself thereto. Similarly,as shown in Fig. 6, if the card is warped in the direction of travel ofthe card 6 hook, the hook may move in a correspnding angular direction,while as shown in Fig. 8, if the card is warped laterally, the hook mayalso yield in the horizontal direction.

As shown in Fig. 11, the cards are preformed with a pair of rectangularnotches 83 and 84 in the rear edge and at a distance inside the cardwith a pair of perforations 85 and 86 aligned with the notches, eachhaving a rectangular base and an angular top. The purpose of therectangular notch is to prevent pressure from the card stack acting onthe card hook as the card leaves the stack and possibly being disengagedthereby. The notch is of such depth that the card hook will effectivelyclear the stack before the rear edge of the card moves off the stack.The purpose of the angular top of the perforation is'to prevent thefront edge of the perforation of a warped under card catching againstthe rear edge of the perforation in the moving card to interfere withthe card feeding; The distance between a notch and a perforation isslightly less than the distance between the edges of prongs l3 and I4 ona card hook. The two card feeding chains are aligned with these notchesand perforations as the cards rest in the unused card bin 28. As a cardhook is moved along by its chain the leading prong rides over the spacebetween the recess and the perforation, but as soon as it reaches theperforation drops into it, the following prong at the same time engagingthe edge of the card at the notch and moving the card with it. Theleading prong acts as a back stop and also serves to move the card ifthere is an overthrow as the card is coming to rest.

As shown in Fig. 4, under normal operation the contact springs ride onthe card, but if, for any reason, the card hook fails to engage a card,the springs 35 make contact with metallic contact strip 81 which is soarranged that an alarm will result.

The floating throat is shown in detail in Figs.

- 10 to 13 and is also indicated in Fig. 4. As indicated in Fig. 11, twosuch throats are provided, mounted in a position near the ends of thecard receptacle. The throat itself is formed of two plates 88 and 89,plate 88 carrying a lip 90 and plate 89 carrying a beveled lip 9|. Whenthe throat is assembled, these two lips are arranged with a definitespace between and with the lip surfaces converging. I

Plate 89 is bent at aright angle to conform to the shape of the cardreceptacle and carries, on one wing, the mounting studs 92 and 93 aswell as lip SI and, on the other wing, which is perforated forlightness, a lateral arm 94. Plate 88 at one end conforms in shape tothe arm 94 to which it is attached by screw 95, being held from rotarymovement by dowels 96 and 91 and separated from arm 94 by a shim 98, thethickness of which determines the opening in the throat. This opening isset at slightly more than the thickness of one card but less than thethickness of two cards. The other end of plate '88 extends over theangle in plate 89 and, with being enlarged at one end to receive thehead of stud 93. After the studs have been inserted stack -isadjustable.

in the guide slots the throat may move freely "f or aI-limited. distancein a vertical direction.

In order to maintain contact between plate 88 and the top card, pressureis exerted on plate =bin asshown in Fig. 11. As indicated in Fig. '12,

these stripshold the largerlpart of the cards out of contact yith theback surface of the throat 89, but-permit the top few cards to advanceinto :such contact.

mounted on the rear door of the unused card bin. The pressure whichthese pads exert and the angle at which they engage the top of the Asshown in Fig. 12, pad l2l is held tothe guide strip I23 by means of twobolts 1-24 and I25, which pass through springs 4'28 and 129 and throughenlarged holes in the lguidestrip 6-23, and whichare held in place byself-locking nuts 125 and 121. As shown in -12, excessive nmvemeht ofthe throat is preventedby a stop bar 108. As shown in Figs. 13 and 14,with the throat in its uppermost position, the card feeds directly intothe space between the'stripper plated and the dieplate i. 'If thecard-stack and the throat become depressed, a

the thickness of one card and less than the thickness of two cards,means for determining the position of said throats by the position ofthe top card in said stack, a flexible drive medium comprising anendless chain for moving said card hoom only in one-direction over saidstack of cards, means for mounting said card hooks on predeterminedlinks of saidchain, prongs projecting from said card hooks a distanceless than the thickness of one card and arranged to engage said strap,and spring means in said mounting for pressing said prongs against thetop card said stack until said prongs engage said strap.

2. -In a card perforator, a card receptacle, a stack of cards insaidreceptacle, each card having preformed configurations therein,adjacent configurations having zparallelly disposed edges to form anengageable strap, and means for feeding cards one at atime fromsaidstack regardless of possible warped conditions of said cards comprisingfloating throats and flexible card hooks, each of said throats having anopening greater than the thickness of one card and less than thethickness of two cards, an arm carried lesschain for moving said cardhooks only in one 7 direction over said stack of cards, means formounting said card hooks 'on predetermined links of said chain, prongsprojecting from said card hooks a distance Iess -than the thickness of-one card andarrangedfto engage said strap, and spring'm'ea ns in saidmounting yieldable both verticallyand angularly for pressing said prongsagainstithe -top cardin'said's'ta'ck until said prongs engage saidstrap.

3. In a card perforator, a card receptacle, a stack of cardsin'sai'dreceptacle, eachfcar'd havin preformed configurations therein,adjacent configurations having 'par'allelly disposed edges toform anengageable strap, and means for iceding cards "from-said stackregardless 'of possible warped conditions of'said cards, comprisingfloating throats and flexible card hooks, slotted means for mountingsaid throats adjacent said card receptacieto permit vertical movement ofsaid throat, an arm carried by each of said throats resting onthe topcard of said "stack to determine the position of said'tliroats by theposition of the top card in said stack, a flexible drive mediumcomprising an endless chain for moving said card hooks only in onedirection over said stack of cards; means for mounting said card hookson predetermined links of said chain, prongs'projecting from said cardhooks arranged to engage said strap, and spring means in said mounting{for pressing "said prongs against the top card in said stack until saidprongsengage said strap.

4. In a card .perfora'tor, a card. receptacle, a stack of cards in saidreceptacle, each card having preformed configurations therein, adjacentconfigurations having parallelly disposed edges to form an engageabl'estrap, and means for feeding cards one at aftime'from said stackegardless of possible warped, conditions of said cards, comprisingIioating'throats and flexible card hooks, each of said throats having anopening greater than the thickness of one card andlcss than thethickness of two cardsjslott'ed means formounting said throats adjacentsaid card reccptaclcto permit ve'rtical'movemcnt'oi said'thrcats, an armcarried hy'ca'ch'of said throats resting on the top card ofsaidsta'ck'to determine "the position of said throats by the positionoi'the top card in said stack, a drive medium comprising an endlesschain for movingsaid. card hcoks'only in one direction over said stackof'cards, means for mounting said card hooks on predetermined links ofsaid chain, prongs projecting from said card hooks a distancelessthanthe'thickness of one card and arranged 'to "engage said strap,and bifurcated spr'mgm'eans in saidmounting'yieldable both verticallyand angularly for pressing said prongs against'the top'card'in saidstack'until said'prongs enga e said strap. H

5. In a card periorator, a card receptacle, a

stack of *cardsin saidreceptacle, each card havterminingth'ep'ositionjof said throats'by the'position of 'thetop'ca'rd in saidstack, drivemeans comprising an endless chain Iormoving said card hooksover said'stack'of cardsin a directi'on'parallel to thesurfaces thereof,means 'fo'r'm'ountingsaid card'ho'oks on..p'redeterminedlinks of'saidchain, prongs tprojecting "from said card hooks arranged tojengagesaidstrap, sprin means in said mounting for *pressmg "said "prongs against 9the top card in said stack until said prongs engage said strap, andmeans for exerting upward pressure on said stack, the shape of said cardconfigurations permitting said pressure to act on said card hooks onlythrough the medium of said top card.

6. In a card perforator, a card receptacle, a stack of cards in saidreceptacle, each card having preformed configurations therein, adjacentconfigurations having parallelly disposed edges to form an engageablestrap, and means for feeding cards from said stack regardless ofpossiblewarped conditions of said cards comprising floating throats and flexiblecard hooks, means for determining the position of said throats by theposition of the top card in said stack, drive means comprising anendless chain for moving said card hooks over said stack of cards in adirection parallel to the surfaces thereof, means for mounting said cardhooks on predetermined links of said chain, prongs projecting from saidcard hooks arranged to engage said strap, spring means in said mountingfor pressing said prongs against the top card in said stack until saidprongs engage said strap, and means for exerting upward pressure on saidstack, the shape of said card configurations preventing said pressuretransmitted through said stack from acting on said card hooks todisengage said card hooks from said top card.

7. In a card perforator, a card receptacle, a stack of cards in saidreceptacle, each card having preformed configurations therein, adjacentconfigurations having parallelly disposed edges to form an engageablestrap, and means for feeding cards one at a time from said stackregardless of possible warped conditions of said cards, comprisingfloating throats and flexible card hooks, each of said throats having anopening greater than the thickness of one card and less than thethickness of two cards; slotted means for mounting said throats adjacentsaid card receptacle to permit vertical movement of said throats, an armcarried by each of said throats resting on the top card of said stack'todetermine the position of said throats by the position of the top cardin said stack, a flexible drive medium comprising an endless chain formoving said card hooks over said stack of cards in a direction parallelto the surface thereof, means for mounting said card hooks onpredetermined links of said chain, prongs projecting from said cardhooks a distance less than the thickness of one card and arranged toengage said strap, bifurcated spring. means in said mounting yieldableboth vertically and angularly for pressing said prongs against the topcard in said stack until said prongsengage said strap, and means forexerting upward pressure on said stack, the shape of said cardconfigurations permitting said pressure to act on said card hooks onlythrough the medium of said top card.

8. In a card perforator, a card receptacle, a stack of cards in saidreceptacle, each card having preformed configurationsltherein, adjacentthan the thickness of two cards, slotted means for mounting said throatsadjacent said card receptacle to permit vertical movement :of saidthroats, an arm carried by each of said throats 10 restingon the topcard of said stack to determine the position of said throats by theposition of the top card in said stack, a flexible drive mediumcomprising an endless chain for moving said card hooks only in onedirection over said stack of cards, means for mounting said card hookson predetermined links of said chain, prongs projecting from said cardhooks a distance less than the thickness of one cardand arranged toengage said "strap, bifurcated spring means in said mounting yieldableboth vertically and angularly for pressing said prongs against the topcard in said stack until said prongs engage said strap, and means forexerting upward pressure on said stack, the shape of said card configuration preventing said pressure transmitted through said stack from actingon said card hooks to disengage said card hooks from said top card. 9.'In a card perforator, a card receptacle, a stack of cards in saidreceptacle, each card having preformed configurations therein, adjacentconfigurations having parallelly disposed edges to form an engageablestrap, and means for feeding cards from said stack regardless ofpossible warped conditions of said cards comprising floating throats andflexible card hooks, means for determining the position of said throatsby the position of the top card in said stack, means for holding a largepart of said card stack out of contact with said throats, drive meanscomprising an endless chainfor moving said card hooks in a directionparallel to the surfaces thereof, means for mounting said card hooks onpredetermined links of said chain, prongs projecting from said cardhooks arranged to engage said strap, and spring means in said mountingfor pressing said prongs against-the top card in said stack until saidprongs engage said strap.

10. In a card perforator, a card receptacle, a stack of cards in saidreceptacle, each card having preformed configurations therein, adjacentconfigurations having parallelly disposed edges to form an engageablestrap, and means for feed-' ing cards from said stack regardless ofpossible warped conditions of said cards comprising float-' ing throatsand flexible card hooks, means for determining the position of saidthroats by the' position of the top card in said stack, means forholding a large part of said card stack out-of contact with saidthroats, means for advancing a plurality of cards near the top of saidstack into contact with said throats, drive means com prising an endlesschain for moving said cards hooks over said stack of cards inadirectionparallel to the surfaces thereof, means for mounting said cardhooks onpredetermined links of said chain, prongs projecting from saidcard hooks arranged to engage said strap, and spring means in saidmounting for pressing said prongs against prongs enthe top card in saidstack until said age said strap.

11. In a card periorator, a card receptacle, a stack of cards in saidreceptacle, each card having preformed configurations therein, adjacentconfigurations having parallelly disposed edges to form an engageablestrap, and means for feedthan the thickness of one card and less thanthe thickness of two cards, slotted means for mounting said throatsadjacent said card receptacle to T permit vertical movement of saidthroats, an arm carried by each of said throats resting on the top 11"ard. o s id st si t dete mine he positio 9i said. throats by t r si vthe to ca d. 11 sen-sites. means or o d n la e; pa t of stated. S ack.out ontact with said, t roa s. a "flexib e dr ve. medium omp s ng an, les ch in r nio'ij hs, sei 'ta' dhooks over said sta k i ection paral el.to e face hes ot'm'ans f r io i t niej 1 ri-v hoo s o ne i ks o s d ha pnss mth n sai d sd hqor' adi sn less h hick e s lli ard and rra ed, to?n age se d h f iirc'a d shri e me ns, a d e1 r ic l y and. ans ar y v. frename t eme ea d .5 58383? until 594d i ons? ngage said strap. 2* a cad- P r oration wa d ec p acle a seek; it are. f ai l re eot cl .,-ea hcard h v- "it. ritetq hed wm lltation h e n ad ac cones, timis hav nRetainind sp se e s a i qega seble tr itaed neens e ee ing' '6, dsbnea aimeummlsaida k e ar e QiI'PLQ. i eW ed i 1 s o s d. e s medit: ii ati iiPQ- flexib e; card. hoo s. m s an- -ht ats havin an omin re ter i. miseessb'ienes td an s hadthe ta ds; slotted m ans to -mou t adjacent-saidrd; centels t andat S d. h oats n; mih. it idfthf a s e ting, h ft p ses Q Q HQIminQ the pos iont at a 'y ii; helee iod of. he t n ard i a,{teth idine a ar e;- Pa t f an answer? l qeeiactw th. sa d: hroats. new;30, twent es; a. lural ty o ar s; near. theme. q jsai st sis into co tat. th said; afle h e rive medi m.- compr sine; an. chain. or; moms;-aid; car s ho ks, over said ts: han s s. diicecticaperenei to; the e17en i aesi rsmo etin said a hooks h'-f q teq er.m.ined sai hain. assesswitches rom sa d: at hooks. a: di ange, the. fliwknessfit one; ard: nd:Sad: to, cheese said traw and: bifumeted; .21. 95; e ns: n said mountinyieldable bot esti sllxendleeei lar y or.- nn ssing, said prongs; geifi. h m ard; n. aid; tackunt h aid iwpfis ii fifit idisfimn a i v Ilsqat i Perimeter; a: ard receptacle; at te hq qerds ms id e ep ede eachcardzhsw M: Essiemed onnemietions therein, ad nt ognggngations l euvi gparallelindisposeds edges. tojemleaepsaee hles ran and meansfom-feeds.ing card; fromsaid s ack; regardless. of. DQ sible.arhesizconsiitionsotseid cardscommisine float lug QHPQIQQQQI'QQEMG;card; hooks, means for thfinosition of; said 1 threats by thepositionot;the; top, card in said. stack; means forhplding a, large pa t Of. saidcardi stack out of contgctywith. said. throats,- meansfor advancing; a[duct lity QI! cards near; the too of: said-stackinto contact with saidthroats, drive-meanscomprising an: endless chainxfor moving said cardhook; oven saidastackotccards in adirection parnd; Qiz-th'e surfaces:thereof; meansfor mounting; saide card: hooks on predetermined linitsof' said chain; prongss'projectinlg" fromsaid cardhooks'. arranged: to:engagesaid strap, I spring means m'said: mounting for pre'ssin'g-sald;prongs aga'inst the too. eardrin said stacle until-"said prong; engage:said. strepuiind nieans for exerting upwamgpressureon. said: stack, Ithe shape' of saidcard: configurations; permitting} said pressure to tsaid; card: hook; only throughthe 1 medium oiksaidgtopcard. w I I v 1 Ina. card perforator. a. card receptaole.,.a s ack, of cards insaidrecentacle, eat-hv card haring preformed confi urations. therein.adjacent configurations having, parallelly disposed e sesm form anengageable strap. and means for feed.- ing cards one at a, time fromsaid stack regardless of possible warped conditions; of said. cards,comprising floating throats: and flexible card hooks, each, of said,throats having, an openina greater than the thickness of one card andless than the thickness or two cards slotted means for mountin saidthroatsv adjacent, said, card receptacle to permit vertical movement ofSaid throats, an arm. carried, by eachof said throats resting n he top.cards. of said stack tohdetermine the, positionof. 58,1111- thmatsby theD081- tion of the top card in said, stack, means for. holding a largepart. oi saidcard stack out of contact with said throats, means. foradvanfiinflv a, plurality of cards near the. top oi said stack intocontact with saidthroats, a flexible drive, medium comprising an,endless, chaidfor moving said. card hooks only'in one directionover-said stack of cards. me ns for mountine said card I hooks onpredetermined. links. oi chain.

prongs projecting from said cardhoolssa distance less. than thethickness. of one. card, and. mtranged. to en a e. d: st ain.v bifurcaed: pr means, in sa d. ou ti g y eldab j b th vertically and ans gularlyfor pressing said. prongs againstthe top.-

cardin said stack, untilsaid-pnongs engage said stra endmeansforexertinmupward pressureon said stack, the shape of said; cardconfigurations preven in said pres-sumo ransmitted. through.

, said stack from acting; on saidcatdihookstodln engage said card; 10.01iromsaid mpcand,

15,111 a, card erforator a, card receptacle. a. stack of: cards in:said-receptacle; eachcardhaw ing indentations and. perforationsthereinsorelatedasv to; provide a plurality of straps within, the outline ofthe card, and means; for, feeding: cards e t a mer-from saidis ack.rec-endless; of possihle warped-condit pns of; said ards, com-. prisinga n-of; fi atins throatsi and flexibly. mounted ca-rdhooks, eaohlofsaid; throats-hays ing. an opening greater; than; the thickness of: onecam-landless thanthe thick-neasiof two cards. s t dans: m unted;adjacent said card. reoeptacle, studs on said throats. movable in; saidslots to permitverticalzmavemeniiof saidrthroats;

arr-arm carried by'each Off saidthroats resting n: he op card ofi'seidista k, -to-.ho1dl the. o en... ings in said throats opposite-said topvcard-,4 pair ofendless chains fonsimultaneously move.

, ing' a pair of-, said card hooks in. the: same direo-i against the topcardin i said: staok -until said prongs engage said oard straps; andmeans for exerting upwardipressure on said stack, the-indentation in"said card permitting said upward pressure to act on said cardhooksonlythrough the medium "of said top card: i

16. In a: card* perforatm'; a card; receptacle; a stack of: cards; insaid receptacle, each;card:having indentations and perforations-thereinso" related as to providea plurality o!- stra'ps within the outline ofthe: card; and means forfeeding 13 cards one at a time from said stackregardless of possible warped conditions of said cards, comprising apair of floating throats and flexibly mounted card hooks, each of saidthroats having an opening greater than the thickness of one card andless than the thickness of two cards, slotted means mounted adjacentsaid card receptacle, studs on said throats movable in said slots topermit vertical movement of said throats, an arm carried by each of saidthroats resting on the top card of said stack to hold the openings insaid throats opposite said top card, a pair of endless chains forsimultaneously moving a pair of said card hooks in the same directionover said stack of cards, means for mounting said hooks on predeterminedlinks of said chain, prongs projecting in opposite directions from saidcard hooks a distance less than the thickness of one card and aligned toengage the two edges of said card straps, bifurcated springs so attachedto said predetermined links as to be yieldable both vertically andangularly and acting on said card hooks for pressing said prongs againstthe top card in said stack until said prongs engage said card straps,and means for exerting upward pressure on said stack, the indentation insaid card preventing the pressure exerted through said stack from actingon said card hooks to disengage said card hooks from said top card assaid card leaves said stack.

LEON N. HAMPTON.

MARTIN SALZER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 652,821 Vail et a1. July 3, 1900 679,961 French Aug. 6, 19011,033,951 Sargent July 30, 1912 1,352,308 Murray Sept. 7, 1920 1,883,984Lasker Oct. 25, 1932 1,976,352 Maul Oct. 9, 1934 2,359,680 Roth Oct. 3,1944 2,375,296 Ford May 8, 1945

